The Lost Tales of Beedle the Bard: The Isobel They Never Knew
by Tuzilla
Summary: This is story #8 from a recently discovered cache of stories by Beedle the Bard. Can't a good witch just live in a village? Why do villagers always think the worst?


**The Isobel They Never Knew**

 _There once was a_ young witch named Isobel Dearghead who lived a quiet life in a small village out in the Irish countryside. None of the residents of the village had the slightest notion that there was a witch hiding amongst them even though the evidence was all around them.

Isobel was an attractive young witch with and abundance of red hair, blue eyes and an athletic body. She was educated at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where she excelled in potions and charms. She was also a star chaser on the Hufflepuff quidditch team.

Isobel used the skills she had learned from her parents and at school to protect the village and its residents from danger in many ways. The brooms she sold in the market were made from the common broom evergreen. Along with trash, they secretly purified the ground they swept. Her pretty, little charms contained crystals with hidden powers. Her herbal teas and candies promoted health and well-being. The candles she made had protective herbs in them such as silver fir leaves to bless and protect mothers and newborn babies.

Many of the plants growing in Isobel's garden, which she quietly shared into the community, had various powers to protect, heal, bring good fortune and other things to the village. Although the villager's never realized it, many of the trees of the village were similarly placed by Isobel. For example, the yew tree in the cemetery watched over the dead.

Other times she did much grander things. During a drought that threatened to destroy the crops of the village, she used runes and spells to conjure the crop-saving rains. During a plague that was sweeping through the realm, she cast protective enchantments around the village that prevented would be visitors from finding it and inadvertently delivering the plague into their midst.

Through all of this, the villagers stayed blissfully unaware of her magical presence. They considered themselves lucky, blessed and fortunate…never suspecting they were actually being protected by a benevolent, young witch. Isobel was able to mingle among them as an equal. She could shop in their market and maintain her booth. She attended their picnics and festivities.

To all around her, she was just another member of the community living in a house inherited from her aunt. None of them had the slightest notion that her aspen wand was almost always in clear view. She used it and a leather strap to hold her wealth of red hair under control in a ponytail or bun. They thought it was just an ornately carved piece of wood.

On occasion, usually about four times a year, she would disappear for a couple days. The villagers tended not to notice because of the shortness of her absence. These disappearances were to attend gatherings of other witches in the realm.

In order to get to them, Isobel would transfigure herself into a hare, as was their tradition. She would travel undetected, only having to be wary of the occasional fox or owl. She would meet with the others to share news, perform rituals and take part in ceremonies. When she returned home, she often brought new knowledge of enchantments, herbs and roots, and magical items.

The fact that Isobel was unmarried did not go unnoticed by the villagers. Her gingery hair and bright, blue eyes helping to create a pretty face attached to a strong, lithe body. Many of the men, especially one named James, were attracted to her.

James was a handsome, young man who worked as a carpenter and cooper. The work gave him a strong body to go with his brown locks and eyes. James fancied Isobel. He often went out of his way to speak to her, asking if she needed any work done or if she was coming to the next town gathering.

Isobel was reluctant to engage in a relationship with a non-magical villager. She was always nice to James, but never let things move forward. Still, he persisted, not willing to take her coolness as a rejection.

Late in the fall of Isobel's twenty-fifth year, the village held a pre-winter festival to celebrate its bountiful harvest and completion of the repairs on the village church. The church might have been destroyed along with much of the village if Isobel had not secretly intervened with a bit of magic in the manner of a fortuitous thundershower that helped quench the fire. They were a religious and superstitious folk and the salvation of their church was very important to them.

Isobel spent much of her time at the festival talking with a group of older ladies. They all knew each other from their shops and booths in the market. When the ladies excused themselves, James, who had been watching Isobel for much of the time acted on the opening. He walked over with two glasses of freshly pressed cider and sat down.

James talked to Isobel, trying to get her to get up and join the others who were dancing to the music of some local musicians. After a while and several requests she finally gave in and danced with him. He was overjoyed and she actually had a good time. It was the first time she had danced since finishing school.

James walked her home and he asked her if she might join him for another occasion. While she did not say yes, she did not say no, either.

Over the next few weeks, James spoke with Isobel on several occasions in an effort to make good on the possibility of them getting together. Much to his dismay, she turned him down with a variety of excuses. It was getting very discouraging.

More time passed and James had all but had given up. It was late in the day and darkness was upon him as he passed Isobel's cottage on the way home. Suddenly her door opened and she stepped out. He thought to speak to her but did not want to frighten her with a voice from the dark. Instead, he stood still, watching her.

Isobel stood still, looking around, but did not see him. Then she started walking away in the direction of the woods. Where could she be going? It was not normal for people to venture into the woods after dark. While this was not a particularly bad country, it was still not a good idea. A person could stumble and get hurt or slip into a bog. Or they could have that rare, chance encounter with a dangerous creature. James decided to follow her in case she needed help.

They had barely passed the edge of the forest when Isobel stopped. James could see her silhouette in the moonlight. She was making some weird gestures and saying some strange word. Then, in the blink of an eye, she changed into a hare and hopped away into the trees.

James nearly fainted. The girl of his heart was most certainly a witch. He went home and spent a fitful night. By noon of the next day, the entire village knew Isobel's secret.

In the late afternoon two days later when she appeared in her booth to sell her wares she was accosted by an angry mob. None of them cared that no harm had ever befallen them. They invented things to blame on witchcraft. They never considered for a moment that any of the good fortunes that had benefited the village could have magic behind them.

She narrowly escaped the mob and ran to her home. By the time the villagers arrived, she had gathered the things she considered essential. The rest would be sacrificed.

Isobel escaped out the back as they were preparing to set fire to her home in the fading daylight. She outran the mob and made it into a thicket of willows where she transformed into a hare. She then cast a spell that launched her straight up into the full moon. As the villagers watched, the shadow of a hare appeared on the moon. It has remained there ever since.

The next year an illness she could have guarded them against claimed the lives of many in the village. The harvest was the smallest in several years. Some believed she had cursed them before she left. Isobel eventually found her way to a wizarding community near the coast where she married a wizard, started a family and lived a fine life.


End file.
